While students are generally tech savvy, switching to online classes might be the first experience they have with group meetings on video. Here’s five quick etiquette tips to share with students to help your classes go well.
1) Mute your mic.
When starting a group meeting, it’s a good idea to ask everyone to mute their mics. Even if your students don’t have a headset, their computer has a mic which allows them to talk. When multiple people are on a video call though, it can be very distracting to hear typing, people in the background, or gum being chewed when a mic is on.
Thankfully, group conferencing/video platforms have mic icons that each person can press to silence and then click to turn on again when they want to speak.
2) Identify yourself.
If you have a large class and a conference call without video, each person should say their name before they talk. A quick, “Hi! This is [name]” before asking a question or giving an answer can help people track the conversation better.
3) Use video whenever possible.
Anytime you’re able to see each other, you’ll feel more connected. It’s also easier for students to ask questions without interrupting each other.
4) Be on time.
In a video call, it’s difficult to remember who is present and who isn’t, so if you’re late you might miss vital information, or you might interrupt the speaker when you pop in. If the presenter is late, it can cause a lot of confusion and anxiety as the minutes drag on while waiting for someone to lead the group. Be courteous to everyone by being on time.
5) Look into the camera.
Video conferencing is good practice for one-on-one communication. If you start answering your text messages while someone is speaking, everyone else can see it. If you start talking to someone off camera, everyone else wonders who you’re talking to. Be present, and give the other callers your full attention.
